Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · Worship
With reverence and with confidence, and only because God made the way Himself. The ark story warns us that closeness to God is never casual, yet Hebrews tells us to draw near with boldness. Both are true at once, because the fire fell on the Son so that worshipers could come home: acceptable worship is bold about the invitation and serious about the One who invites.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/how-do-i-approach-a-holy-god · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
2 Samuel 6
As you read: Two extremes in one chapter: Uzzah's casual touch, and David dancing with all his might once the approach is done God's way.
1David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim.
3They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
4They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
5David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals.
6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.
7Yahweh’s anger was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
8David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken out against Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day.
9David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, “How shall Yahweh’s ark come to me?”
10So David would not move Yahweh’s ark to be with him in the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
11Yahweh’s ark remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house.
12It was told king David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.
13It was so, that, when those who bore Yahweh’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
14David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.
15So David and all the house of Israel brought up Yahweh’s ark with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16It was so, as Yahweh’s ark came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.
17They brought in Yahweh’s ark, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
18When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies.
19He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house.
20Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
21David said to Michal, “It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate before Yahweh.
22I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me.”
23Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Hebrews 12:18-29
As you read: The contrast between Sinai's terror and the joyful assembly, ending in two sentences that hold reverence and grace together.
18For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,
19the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,
20for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”;
21and so fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,
23to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
25See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
26whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”
27This phrase, “Yet once more”, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
28Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,
29for our God is a consuming fire.
Uzzah's impulse looked noble: the cart lurched, the ark tipped, he steadied it. But the ark was to be carried on poles, never on a cart, and never touched, and God had said so. 'Yahweh's anger was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.' The warning is not that God is unpredictable; it is that He is exactly as holy as He says, and we are never entitled to handle Him on our terms.
“When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. Yahweh’s anger was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.”2 Samuel 6:6-7
David's first reaction was anger; his second was awe: 'David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, How shall Yahweh's ark come to me?' Only after the ark was carried the way God commanded does the chapter erupt into joy: 'David danced before Yahweh with all his might.' Reverence did not kill David's joy; it was the doorway to it. The most exuberant worshiper in Scripture was also the man who learned to ask how God wants to be approached.
“David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, “How shall Yahweh’s ark come to me?””2 Samuel 6:9
“David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.”2 Samuel 6:14
Hebrews refuses to let us pick a side: 'let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.' This was God's own word when Nadab and Abihu died for approaching wrongly: 'I will show myself holy to those who come near me.' Notice that acceptable service comes through grace, not through our performance of holiness. Yet the fire has not cooled. Familiarity that forgets He is fire is not intimacy; it is irreverence wearing intimacy's clothes.
“Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”Hebrews 12:28-29
The same letter that calls God a consuming fire says: 'Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.' Boldness here is not casualness; it is confidence in the blood of Christ that opened the way. We do not approach like Uzzah, grabbing at God uninvited, nor like Israel at Sinai, backing away terrified. We walk right up, because we were invited, at terrible cost.
“Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”Hebrews 4:16
“Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” Aaron held his peace.”Leviticus 10:3